The Trail of Political Consciousness

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"He's writin' a manifesto. Did he tell you? Apparently, the only thing keepin' us from liberty is a few more ideas."

―Arvel Skeen, to Cassian Andor^[2]

The untitled journal known to some as The Trail of Political Consciousness, or Nemik's manifesto, was written by the rebel Karis Nemik that denounced the Galactic Empire and recounted Nemik's thoughts on Imperial oppression and the cause of rebellion throughout the galaxy. In 5 BBY, Nemik was still writing his manifesto, and searching for a fitting title, telling such information to Cassian Jeron Andor. Fellow rebel Arvel Skeen was also aware of the work. Following Nemik's death, Vel Sartha gave Andor his manifesto as he had insisted that Andor have it. After returning to Ferrix, following the death of his adoptive mother, Andor listened to the manifesto.

Description[]

Contents[]

"Haven't titled it yet. I've been waiting. It's a work in progress, and I know that there's a great deal left to say. I mean, look. Right here. Fresh inspiration. Two seemingly random objects, and yet this charts an astral path, this maps the trail of political consciousness. Both systems based on truth, both navigating toward clear and achievable outcomes."

―Karis Nemik, to Cassian Andor, on his manifesto and his navigator^[2]

RebelManifesto-SW100Objects — Nemik's manifesto was kept on a datapad

The Trail of Political Consciousness,^[6] also known as Nemik's manifesto,^[7] was the nickname of an untitled journal recorded by Karis Nemik,^[6] a rebel who resented the rule of the Galactic Empire,^[2] to document his idealistic views. Kept in a pocket-sized datapad, the manifesto was voice recorded and supported by aurebesh text.^[5] The manifesto discussed Nemik's evolving thoughts on the cause of rebellion.^[7] It detailed the meaning of freedom and oppression in Nemik's point of view and criticised the tyranny of the Empire.^[5] A section on mercenaries named "The Role of Mercenaries in The Galactic Struggle for Freedom" drew the conclusion that as weapons were tools, their users were assets that could be used for the advantage of and that the Empire's lack of moral boundaries allowed for insurgents to adapt.^[3]

Extract[]

Source: subtitles of "Rix Road"	Attribution: Tony Gilroy
There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this. Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they've already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward. And then remember this. The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that. And know this, the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire's authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege. Remember this. Try.
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History[]

Development[]

Arvel Skeen: "I'd like to hear what Clem believes."

Cassian Andor: "I know what I'm against. Everything else will have to wait."

Karis Nemik: "You're my ideal reader."

―Arvel Skeen, Cassian Andor, and Karis Nemik^[2]

SpaceMarxShowsManifesto-Andor105 — Karis Nemik talks to Cassian Andor about his manifesto.

Karis Nemik begun developing his manifesto^[2] by 5 BBY,^[8] when he became part of a team of rebels led by Vel Sartha which was planning a heist on the Imperial outpost on the planet Aldhani. One of the team, Arvel Skeen, was amused by Nemik's project and tried to to listen to his companion's idealistic speaking. After Cassian Andor, under the name "Clem," joined the team, Skeen introduced the new member to Nemik's unfinished manifesto, joking that "a few more ideas" was keeping them from liberty. Nemik enthusiastically spoke about his views on the Empire's oppression. When Skeen asked when "Clem" believed, the latter stated he knew what he was against and that everything else had to wait. Upon hearing that, Nemik labeled Andor as the ideal reader for his manifesto, speaking about the journal more before another of the team, Taramyn Barcona, interrupted their conversation.^[2]

On the team's way to the Aldhani outpost, Andor revealed, after a confrontation with Skeen, that he had been hired to join the team and that he had taken the job only for the money. Nemik was surprised at that fact,^[2] but soon came to the conclusion that hired guns could be an important part in the fight against the Empire.^[6] When he could not sleep the night before their mission, he begun adding writing "The Role of Mercenaries in The Galactic Struggle for Freedom," influenced by Andor. The next morning, he told "Clem" about the section and its conclusion. Andor agreed with Nemik that the Empire did not play by the rules, but then argued that they would not learn from or care about the insurgents, leading to a short debate between the pair.^[3]

Passing ideas[]

"Nemik's manifesto. He said to give this to you."
"I don't want it."
"He insisted."

―Vel Sartha and Cassian Andor^[3]

Nemik's team successfully carried out the heist and stole around eighty million credits, with the loss of Barcona and their inside man Lieutenant Gorn. Nemik himself was critically injured during the escape and taken to the alien surgeon Doctor Quadpaw on the moon Frezno to save his life. In his last time of consciousness, the injured rebel requested for "Clem" to be given his manifesto. In the meantime, however, Skeen tried to convince Andor to betray their team and take the credits for themselves, only for Andor to kill him first. Just after Nemik had died in surgery, "Clem" confronted Sartha and announced he was leaving with his cut of the credits. Sartha handed Andor Nemik's manifesto, adding that the late rebel had insisted for him to have it. "Clem" reluctantly accepted it and left.^[3]

NemikManifesto4 — Cassian Andor listened to Nemik's manifesto in the wreckage of his family's old hauler.

Andor eventually took refuge on the planet Niamos,^[9] leaving Nemik's manifesto in a box of his possessions that was hidden above a shower head in a hotel room.^[4] However, he was soon arrested by the Empire over a minor confrontation and imprisoned.^[9] After escaping his incarceration, Andor returned to Niamos and recovered the box from the hotel room while a new hotel stayer slept there. While checking the box, he opened the manifesto, which begun playing Nemik's recorded content briefly before he closed it again to not disturb the sleeping stayer. Learning shortly after that his adoptive mother, Maarva, had died,^[4] Andor returned to his homeworld of Ferrix to attend her funeral. The night he arrived, he stayed in the wreckage of his family's old hauler, where he listened to Nemik's manifesto while a thunderstorm raged outside.^[5]

Behind the scenes[]

"One of our happiest, proudest things in the show is when Diego is listening back to [Nemik's] manifesto. He opens Nemik's manifesto that night before the funeral. And Nemik is, in the manifesto, saying, 'We're going to win because oppression is unnatural, and freedom is a natural [thing].' And he has a whole big speech about how acts of rebellion are springing up all across the galaxy. All the people that are out there trying to make a rebellion, and they're all atomized and spread apart. And so the show is really about watching this thing coalesce, and in the end we will coalesce into Yavin. The consequences of that are good and bad for the people who've contributed the most to making it happen."

―Tony Gilroy^[10]

Nemik's manifesto first appeared in "The Axe Forgets," the fifth episode of the Disney+ live-action series Andor,^[2] released on October 5, 2022.^[11]